Venetian blind rail connector



May 27, 1952 R. H. WRIGHT ETAL VENETIAN BLIND RAIL CONNECTOR Filed Sept.18, 1950 IN V EN TOR.

Patented May 27, 1952 VENETIAN BLIND RAIL CONNECTOR Richard H. Wright,Bratenahl, and Anthony Zay,

Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to Guarantee Specialty Manufacturing Company,Cleveland,

Ohio, a corporation Application September 18, 1950, Serial No. 185,447

9 Claims.

This invention relates to Venetian blinds, and more particularly toVenetian blinds constructed of metal or similar material, as contrastedwith blinds which use wooden parts entirely. More particularly, thisinvention relates to certain parts which may be availed of for use inconnection with metal tilt rails and bottom rails of Venetian blinds,whether used with wooden slats or othertypes of slats. In Venetianblinds which use such metal tilt rails and bottom rails as abovementioned, it is desirable to provide the same with simple means forconnecting such rails to the tilting device and for supporting the tiltrail in the blind and,therefore, one of the objects of this invention isto provide means suitable for carrying out such purpose.

It is an object of this invention to provide simple connecting means forthe respective ends of a metal Venetian blind tilt rail whereby the samemay be supported in the Venetian blind assembly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide devices whereby thetilt rail of a Venetian blind may be supported, which devices are easilyaffixed to a metal tilt rail without the use of separate parts therefor.

' It is a further object of this invention to provide connecting meansso formed as to be readily fastened at opposite ends of a metal tiltrail, for example, which includes provisions for attaching the same bythe use of simple tools and without requiring any great skill on thepart of the person using the same.

It is a further object of this invention to provide devices for thepurposes described, which may be made of metal stampings or the like,which devices may be produced in great quantities, inexpensively, andwhich in general have the same configuration whether used at one end ofthe tilt rail or the other, for supporting the same in a Venetian blindassembly.

I With the above and other objects to be hereinafter/set forth in mind,in the specification we ,illustrate the preferred form of our devices inthe necting device when formed for use so as to be inserted in asuitable opening in a tilting unit whereby the angular relationship ofthe tiltrail 1 and slats of the Venetian blind may be adjusted.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of what is known as a pin end connector,showing the rolled-up form of the device at its end, for insertion in asuitable bracket depending from the head bar of a Venetian blind.

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken about on the line 55 ofFigure 2, showing one form of metal tilt rail or tilt bar, with aconnector of our invention in place thereon.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be noted at the supporting connectingmembers, namely the tilt end connector designated I, and the pin endconnector designated 2, are shown in their respective positions fixed atopposite ends of a tilt bar or rail generally designated 3. While theconstruction of the tilt rail or bar may be of different form from thatillustrated, a preferred form of tilt rail with which the supportingconnecting members of our invention are adapted for use, is more clearlyillustrated in Figure 5. The tilt rail generally designated 3 iscomprised of a concave body portion 4, of suitable width for thepurposes of use in a Venetian blind or the like, having formedintegrally therewith the hollow longitudinally extending flange portions5 and 6. These flange portions, as will be seen upon a consideration ofthe Figure 5 being referred to, are provided to effect structuralrigidity in the tilt rail itself, and the tilt rail is so formed as tohave a longitudinally extending flattened portion ,1 (see Figure 1),between the hollow flange portions 5 and 6.

It will be clear that this'flattened portion may be of any width, as isalso true of the hollow flanged portions 5 and 6, consistent with theuse of the tilt bar or rail. This tilt bar or rail constructionillustrated is supplied to a manufacturer or the like in various lengthsand, of course, may be cut oil to the proper length for-use in aVenetian blind.

In order to support the tilt rail or bar 3 in a Venetian blind, the saidtilt bar being used to in turn support ladder tapes or the like for theslats of the Venetian blind, the supporting connectors of our inventionare particularly suitable. As will be seen upon a consideration ofFigures 3 and 4, the connector I is formed so as to include a main flatbody portion 8, relatively long and narrow, including an ofiset sectionI integral with the said body portion 8, the said ofiset section 9 inturn being integrally connected to a tilt member or unit engagingportion Hi.

The portion H) is formed so as to have its surface lie in the same planeas the surface of the body portion 8', the offset section 9 being in adifferent plane but parallel thereto. The body portion 8 is formed atone end with an ofistanding lug H, integral therewith, the same beingformed out of the material'which comprises the said body portion 8. Thisoffset lug H includes a stop section (2, the surface of the said stopsection l2 lying in the same plane as the surface of the offset section9 previously referred to, as will be more particularly disclosed inconjunction with a description of the devices shown in place as inFigure 2. The body portion 8, as seen in Figure 3, further includes anear l3, pierced from the said body portion 8, and initially formedtherewith so as to stand in perpendicular relation thereto. It will beclear from the previous description that the supporting connector justdescribed includes the portion lil adapted to be en a edwith a co-matingmember, usually provided in Venetian blind tilting devices or units. Inorder to support the tilt rail 3 at the end opposite the tilt device orunit, the Venetian blindjis usually provided with a bracket, fixed tothe'headbar, and depending therefrom, the said bracket having a;suitable opening therein adapted toreceive what is known as a pinendconnector. As will be seen upon a consideration of Figure 4, weproyide sucha connector formed substantially as is the connector ofFigure 3, for the tilt or tilting device unit endof the tiltrail, thesaid pin end; connector designated 2 including a body portion l4corresponding to the body portionfl previously. referredto, an offsetsection [5; anda bracket engaging portion it. It will be noted-Zthatinthisparticular form of connector the portionjlfi. is rolled'up, andformed so as to proyide a substantially round bearing surface adaptedgtobe interengagedwith the bracket provide-din the Venetian blindgas abovereferred to.

'I'fiisportion .isthe only partlof the device being described whichdifiersfrom the tilt or tilting unitfconnector' previously described inrelation tojigure 3', the. offset lug-ll being denoted IT in thislformand having a stop section 13 there- An;earl9', correspondingto the ear[3 previously mentioned; is likewise provided in this formoftheconnector'member. It is believed clear that the supporting connectormembers disclosed inFigures 3 and 4, are most suitably jformed frommetal stampings or the like, so as to provide the respectivemembers andportions referred to in their various relationship. It

should be noted that by reason of the provision of the offstanding lugsH and ll of the respective connector members, a space is providedbetween the-stop sections l2 and I8 respectively, and the body portions8 and Hi thereof, whereby the'said stop sections may be engaged with thelower surface of a metal portion or the like in conjunction with thelower surfaces of the metal remaining, adjacent the sides of the saidlugs for purposes to'be more fully hereinafter set forth.

It should alsobeclear that the offset section '9 is offsetsufificiently, so as to accommodate a metal section upon the uppersurface thereof, whereby the connector as a Whole when in place, willremain in a substantially level position with respect to the bodyportion sand the portion ill thereof. This is also true of the connectormember illustrated in-Figure e, the only difference residing inthe formof the rolled-up end It thereon. Referring now'-to Figure 2, the devicesor connectors of our invention are shown positioned in the tilt rail 3.It will be noted upon a consideration of this figure and also of Figure1, that these devices are adapted to be emplaced upon the tilt rail bymeans of the provision of the removal of a rectangular section from theflat portion l, as indicated at 20. It will, of course, be clear thatthis rectangular opening is spaced from the end of the tilt rail 3, asuificient distance to accommodate the device or connector, so that thesame will remain in a substantially parallel position with regard to theflattened portion 1 of the'tilt rail. The rectangular opening 20 is ofsuch a size as to further accommodate and receive therein the bodyportion 8 or I l, as the case may be, and the lug I l in conjunctionwith the metal portion adjacent thereto, of therbody B, is adapted tointerengage with the end 2! of the flattened section 1. When the deviceor connector shown in Figure 3 is emplaced in the tilt rail as shown inFigure 2, it will be noted that the ear i3 is initially in upstandingposition so as to permit the connector I to be placed in the rectangularopening 20, as illustrated in dotted lines in the said figure, and byreason of subsequent'bending of the ear l3 into the'full line positionof the said Figure 2, the said connecting device will be firmly afiixedto the end of the tilt rail or bar- 3 by reason of the engagement of theear in its flattened condition with the portion 22 of the tilt rail,which lies between the portion Ill and the body portion 8.

It will be clear that the 'pinend connector 2 may be emplaced upon theopposite end of'the tilt rail 3, by provisions similar to those referredto in reference to the connector 9, the lug i1 and ear I!) engagingsimilar portions of the said tilt rail, as is true of the connector i atthe opposite end of the tilt rail.

In view of the foregoing description, it will be seen we have describedthe supporting connector members of 'our invention, the same beingofsubstantially similar form, however, provided with the necessary shapesat their tilt and pinend bracket engaging portions was to support thetilt rail in the Venetian blind. It is to be understood that theparticular form of tiltrail is not intended tube a limiting factor inour invention, since it is apparentthat the connectors disclosed anddescribed'may be used with various kinds of tilt rails, and areparticularly suited to tilt rails constructed of metal or the like.It'is also to be understood that these connectors may be availed of inconjunction with a bottom rail of'a- Venetian blind, particularlythelform disclosed in Figure 4 and denoted as being the pin endconnector, when used with what is known aslhold down brackets, tomaintain the Venetian blind as a whole in a position in a window orthelike.

It is further noted that the connector of Figure 4' may likewise beavailed'of'andtused at both ends of the bottom rail, when the blind isemplaced in a window, and suitable guide meansare provided, adapted toreceive therein the rolled-up portion. iii of the connector Zformaintaining the blind in its vertical relationship during raising andlowering operation of theslats thereof.

In the Venetian blind with .which the devices of the invention aroused,the tilting dGViCBjCBI-J ried by one end of thexhead rail for;cooperation with the section H3 or" member 3, and the bracket carried by.the otherend of the head rail for 00-- operation-with the section. iiiof, memberz2,.rconistitute supports for the tilt rail for detachableassociation of the tilt rail with the blind. The sections I0 and I6 ofmembers 3 and 2 thus constitute support engaging sections of thesemembers.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A Venetian blind rail of the class described, comprising a bodyportion, an opening in said body portion and a connector member seatedin said opening, extensions at one end of said connector member, saidmember including lug means having a portion spaced from said extensions,said extensions and lug means engaging the body portion at one end ofthe opening, and an ear adapted to engage said body portion at the otherend of said opening, and a bracket engaging portion formed with saidmember.

2. A Venetian blind rail of the class described, comprising a flattenedsection, rectangular openings at opposite ends of said section, a tiltend connector having a body portion seated in one of said openings, apin end connector having a body portion seated in another of saidopenings, each of said connectors including 2, lug having a portionspaced from extensions at one end of the body portion of each saidconnector engaging the flattened section at one end of each saidopening, and an ear member at the other end of each said body portionadapted to engage the other end of each said opening, said tilt endconnector being provided with a flattened portion adapted to engage atilting device, and said pin end connector being provided with a rolledportion for engagement with a pin end bracket.

3. A rail as claimed in claim- 2, wherein the ear members of each ofsaid connectors are so constructed and arranged whereby the same may bebent into engagement with the flattened section.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a Venetian blind rail connectorincluding a body portion, an oifset lug at one end of said portion, saidbody portion having an extension at each side of said lug and spacedfrom a portion thereof, an

ofiset section integral with the other end of said body portion, anupstanding ear formed with said portion at the end opposite said lug andextensions, and a support engaging portion integral with said offsetsection.

5. An article as claimed in claim 4, wherein the support engagingportion is rolled so as to form a substantially tubular bearing portion.

6. An article as claimed in claim 4, wherein the upper surfaces of theoffset lug and offset portion lie in substantially the same plane.

7. An article as claimed in claim 4, wherein the upper surfaces of theoffset lug and ofiset portion lie in substantially the same plane andthe upper surfaces of the body portion and support engaging portion liein substantially the same plane, said first named plane being differentfrom that last named.

8. An article of manufacture comprising a Venetian blind rail connectorformed by metal stamping, including a body portion, a downwardly offsetlug formed at one end thereof, said body portion having extensionsspaced from said lug at said one end, an upstanding ear pierced fromsaid body adjacent the other end thereof, a fiat offset section formedintegrally and below said body portion and a flat portion integral withsaid offset portion, said fiat portion having its upper surface in thesame plane as the upper sur face of the body portion aforesaid.

9. An article as claimed in claim 8, wherein the fiat portion is rolledup at its side edges so as to constitute a bearing member.

RICHARD WRIGHT ANTHONY ZAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,110,710 Lorentzen Mar. 8, 19382,225,062 Lorentzen Dec. 17, 1940 2,497,523 Warkentin Feb. 14, 1950

